Did I damage my engine?????

lineboy55

Registered User
Ok, I installed a 94 SC engine into my mustang. before doing so, i had the entire engine rebuilt. When i installed the engine, i used the flywheel from the mustang and not the super coupe. I drove it for about 150 miles, vibrating like crazy. I would say half easy on the engine, and half beating on it. Turns out that the supercoupe is an internally balanced engine and the mustang v6 is externally balanced. So, after reading how vibration can damage the crank bearings super fast, should i just pull the engine and have the bearings all replaced, or wait and see if it granades itself to pieces??? what are the chances I caused engine damagae in only 150 miles??? What a bumber to break in a new SC engine with it tearing itself to pieces from the very beginning. I did replace the flywheel with the correct SC flywheel and everything currently sounds good with no vibration.
 
You can draw some engine oil and have it analyzed - ck'd for bearing materials, etc. Change the oil filter. Cut the old one open and examine it with a magnifying glass and small magnet.

I'd run a magnetic drain plug and maybe one of those magnetic filter wraps just for grins.

I'd flog it cautiously for the first 1k~3k miles - if it makes it that far without death rattles you can relax. If that makes you nervous, tear it down now.

In any case, whatever maximum projected miles you expected out of that build can be reduced just a bit...

Good luck.
 
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I currently have a cougar with the 4.6 DOHC sitting in my driveway that someone installed the wrong flywheel on. The fella didnt think it would matter as long as it bolted up and was from any 4.6...:rolleyes:

If it where me I would probably have the oil analyzed and see along with the magnetic oil plug and a magnetic wrap for the filter. Like he was saying, take it easy and see how it gonna act. Wouldnt want to flog it and pitch a rod and window the block!!!! :eek:
 
......and I suppose you don't think those magnetic bracelets help either do ya? :p

Personally I like the bracelets, good for pickin up chicks at the flea market.

I disagree about any magnet oil plug or fiter wrap.
In a rare case, and I guess they don't hurt but in normal usage....

I make it a routine part of every oil change to cut the top off the filter and look for stuff by unwrapping the element.

I have never found metal that seems to be magnetic in there which would cause me a lot of concern. I do know the difference because my dirt bikes are prone to it since the crankcase and transmission run the same oil.

I did find some small flakes of bearing material in the first start up of about 10 minutes, but nothing small. I washed everything religiously on a full rebuild, but I have not seen steel in a filter after a rebuild, only bearing brass which isn't magnetic.

Just my two cents
 
I guess it all depends on where the magnet is I spose. A magnet on the end of the filter would surely attract metal particles that could in theory prop the pressure relief valve open, rendering the filter useless.
 
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